In an effort to be fair and to learn more about the motives of the man behind the removal of the ‘N’ word in Huck Finn (as well as the word ‘injun’), I invited Dr. Alan Gribben to be a guest on my podcast, unfortunately, this was his response:
Thanks for the invitation, Ms. Davis. Your children’s literature podcast sounds great (and innovative).
However, I now have to return to teaching my classes following a flurry of media interest in my edition, which I intended for those school districts where TOM SAWYER and HUCKLEBERRY FINN are currently banned or for readers who find the n-word so offensive that they cannot otherwise enjoy the novels. I hope that I have offered teachers an option that will enable them to introduce their students to these classic books.
Regards,
Alan Gribben
To quote A Fish Called Wanda: “FRUSTRATED!”
